


A World of Shining Hope

by Litsetaure



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bathilda ships it, Birthday Surprises, Canon Gay Relationship, Established Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Gellert is very much a believer in ‘go big or go home’, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Magic Carpet, Summer of 1899, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Yes I did watch Aladdin recently!, Young Albus Dumbledore, Young Gellert Grindelwald, and he goes very big!, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-04-06 04:15:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19055047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Litsetaure/pseuds/Litsetaure
Summary: Gellert has an amazing surprise planned for Albus’ eighteenth birthday, though it requires him to confront his past demons. But he’s determined that nothing will stand in the way of a spectacular evening for the man he loves!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AlbusGellertAlways](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlbusGellertAlways/gifts).



For the first time in over a week, Gellert felt his skin prickle with excitement rather than anxiety or exhaustion. He felt tired, it was true, emotionally drained even, but more than that, he knew it was time. This was his moment, and he was not going to let anything, or anyone, stand in his way. He was ready. He had to be. 

Bathilda cleared her throat as she set the heavy stone basin down in front of him. “Whenever you’re ready, dear,” she said, resting her hand beside his. “And remember, take your time.”

Gellert nodded, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze as he held her hand. As long as he had spent preparing himself to do this, and as much as he was looking forward to being free, if only slightly, for a little while, he could not deny that his aunt’s steadfast presence was a comfort to him. He doubted that anyone, even Albus, could have given him what he needed at this moment.  

His heart beat faster and faster as he gazed into the swirling silver depths of the Pensieve; already he could feel it filtering into his unshielded mind, illuminating his memories, seeking them out and drawing them into the foreground. He winced, his grip on Bathilda’s hand tightening, but he did not shift his focus. Even as he once again felt the rough grasp of large hands on his naked body, heard sordid words being purred in his ears, words that now made his skin crawl, he knew that he had to do this. 

In spite of this, the wand in his hand trembled as he lifted it to his forehead, channelling his magic so he could tease the memories out. He watched them fall into the Pensieve, all of them fighting for dominance, crying out to be witnessed, for their secrets to be revealed. 

Blood roared through Gellert’s ears as the images burst into life, hypnotising him and pulling him back in. Somehow, he knew that this was not how it should normally have been, and yet he could not tear himself away. Instead, he was forced to watch and see, for the first time, the many trysts in all their unfiltered detail. He saw the malicious smile on the face that he had once thought to be the epitome of wisdom and beauty, the hypnotisingly dangerous frost in the man’s green gaze, heard the whimpers of pain escape his own lips as he was held down tightly and watched himself as he fought back the tears glistening in his mismatched eyes. 

Suddenly, he felt the spell break as something dark and heavy was flung over the Pensieve, banishing the images from view. At the same time, he almost cried out as he was caught in a strong grasp, though the aged hands shook a little as they stroked his back. He blinked several times and looked up into his aunt’s pale and concerned face. 

“By Morgana, Gellert,” she said, her trembling voice and shimmering eyes belying they calm stability of her embrace, “how could he do such things to you?”

“I didn’t remember it like that,” admitted Gellert. “At the time, I thought it was real, that he was giving himself to me, just as I had done so to him. I remember feeling like the luckiest boy in the world, that I could be...special enough,” the words nearly made him choke, “for him to have chosen me, that I could truly be his.” He let out a long sigh. “I suppose there was much I blinded myself to.”

“No.” Bathilda shook her head. “He was the one who used his place and influence as your teacher against you. He was the one who made you feel indebted to him, when he was merely giving you the guidance that was his duty to give. He was the one who blinded you, Gellert. And I promise you,” her eyes suddenly burned with fury and her voice took on a note of steel, “one way or another, he will pay for it.”

“That is just what Albus said when I told him.” Gellert’s mouth twitched, remembering his partner’s combine horror and fury when he had heard the story. “I think he was more upset about it than I was, and that was without him seeing what you did.”

“It is because he loves you,” Bathilda said. “No one would wish for someone they love to be taken advantage of.” She squeezed Gellert’s hands and sat him on a soft velvet stool, still rubbing his back. “Are you sure you still want to carry on with what you have planned?”

Gellert was about to reply angrily, but then he saw the seriousness in his aunt’s face, indicating that she would accept nothing less than the truth. As such, he paused to think and examine how he was feeling. 

At first, he was only aware of the shaking in his hands, coupled with his racing heart and pounding headache. But when he looked past that, delving deep into his heart, he realised that he actually felt strangely calm, as though days of hard work had finally paid off - which, he reminded himself, they had. He let his mind drift towards the plans he had made for that night, he once again became aware of that hot frisson of excitement setting a fire inside him. He smiled at that. The last minutes might have left him raw and tired, but he also felt more determined, and more ready, than before. 

“You are amazingly resilient, Gellert,” said Bathilda once she had heard him voice his thoughts. “I cannot think of anyone else who could be so sure of themselves after having to relive what you did.”

“I am not going to let him stop me from living my life,” retorted Gellert. “If I do that, then he wins.”

“All right.” Bathilda nodded. “Just make sure you don’t let Albus push you into doing anything you don’t want to, even if it is -”

Gellert shook his head, laughing. “Tante, you and I both know that Albus would never do anything like that. Don’t you remember how often he apologised for pushing me into the river?”

“Well, that is certainly true.” They shared a fond chuckle and she gave him a quick hug. “Be gentle with yourself, Gellert. Don’t pretend to be fine if you’re not. That won’t help you, or Albus.” She kissed him on the cheek and left the room, taking the still-covered Pensieve with her.

Gellert leaned back against the wall, a smile spreading over his face. If it was solely up to him, he would have got up and left straight away, ready to surprise the charming boy who had come to mean so much to him. But he knew better than that, remembering what had happened the last time he had done a journey like this with a bad headache. Still, running his fingers through the magic carpet’s fringing helped to soothe him a little. The carpet even appeared to be responding to his touches, vibrating as if in excitement. 

After a little while, his head felt clearer and he stood up, taking his belongings outside with the carpet following soundlessly behind him “All right,” he said, taking his place and drawing a deep breath, “this is it. Wish me luck.” 

He might have felt slightly silly to be talking to a carpet, but then it stirred again, gold threads winking in the pale sunlight, as though it was telling him he had nothing to worry about. Then, very slowly, it rose into the air and soared across to Albus’ house, headed for the open window where a single candle flickered. Gellert smiled and flicked his wand, sending a stream of tiny golden bumblebees into the open window while he waited, barely restraining the urge to tap on the glass panes.

Albus’ head shot upright from where he had been bent over the desk. His face shone in the glow from the magical swarm of bees as he approached the window. He rubbed his eyes and blinked several times, apparently unable to believe what he was seeing. “And...exactly where did you get a magic carpet?”

Gellert, however, was more concerned by something else. He could see that Albus’ eyes were red and swollen and his eyelashes were clamped wetly together. He hopped off the carpet and into the bedroom, catching Albus’ face gently in his hands and brushing away the stray tears. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Were you worried that I would forget you?”

Albus shook his head. “You have always been true to your word with me.” His voice shook and he wiped his eyes again. “I knew you would come for me, though I didn’t expect you to arrive like this.” He tried for a small laugh, but all that came out was a ragged sigh. “It’s not important.”

“Don’t say that.” Gellert sat down on the bed and pulled his lover into his arms. “It’s your birthday, for Merlin’s sake. My aunt always said one should never be sad on one’s birthday.” He leaned over to brush his nose against Albus’. “Tell me what happened.”

Albus closed his eyes briefly. “I hoped that, perhaps, today was going to be a good day,” he said, tangling his fingers with Gellert’s. “And, for the most part, it was. Ari was happy and seemed more stable, which meant Aberforth wasn’t as grumpy and argumentative as he usually is. He didn’t even grumble when I told him I was going out with you tonight - or, not as much at least. They even both remembered my birthday, which was more than I could have expected, or hoped for.” He showed Gellert the bunch of bright flowers sitting in a small jug on his desk next to a new quill. “Apparently, he thought that might be useful when I’m writing to you at every hour of the night.”

“Well, he does have some taste then,” teased Gellert. “It sounds as though things went well today, then. So, what has left you so upset?”

Albus winced. “Aberforth was tidying up after tea and he accidentally knocked a bowl off a shelf and broke it. He got quite upset; the bowl was an old favourite of Mum’s. Ari got startled by the crash and then she saw what had happened and became distressed too, so I fixed it with a quick Mending Charm and put it back safely out of the way. It was,” his voice cracked, “it was just instinct, Gellert. I wanted to fix it again. It never occurred to me that it might trigger Ari into a fit. She’d been so calm up until then.”

“And if I was to guess, Aberforth took offence to that and started an argument.” Gellert sighed when Albus sniffled and nodded. “Well, whatever asinine comments he threw at you, just remember that he’s wrong. No,” he tapped Albus’ nose when the other boy looked ready to object, “no, he is. You are doing the very best you can for your family, and only a fool would dispute that. Which, I suppose, does make a certain amount of sense.” He bristled angrily for a minute before giving Albus a gentle squeeze. “But that does not matter now. All that matters is that tonight is the most special night of your life.” He grabbed Albus’ hand and rushed back towards the window, leaping out and back onto the carpet, laughing at the look of aghast amazement on Albus’ face. “What? Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a magic carpet before?”

“Seen one, yes. Actually ridden on one, no.” Albus played with the golden tassels, eyes widening when they wound themselves around his fingers as if they were holding hands. 

“Well, it certainly does seem to like you.” Gellert pulled himself up onto his knees and held out his hand to Albus. “It’s perfectly safe - all you have to do is trust me.” His eyes locked with Albus’ and his heart skipped a beat. “Well? Do you trust me?” 

Albus swallowed, but he slipped his hand into Gellert’s. “Ye-yes. Yes. I trust you.”

“Good.” Gellert kissed the back of his hand and pulled him onto the carpet, settling him down beside him, and wrapping his arms around him. “Happy birthday, liebling.”

He tapped the carpet and, guided by the golden glow from the swarm of returning bees, they set off into the sunset, pausing only to allow Gellert to pluck a single purple flower from one of Bathilda’s window boxes and tuck it into Albus’ hair as he tugged him in for a soft kiss.

The carpet soared into the light clouds until the houses below were little more than tiny specks, sparkling pink and gold as the sunlight danced over them. The warm summer wind brushed through their hair as soft and intimate as a lover’s caress, taking them wonderfully higher and higher until even the treetops had been left behind. Birds flying past paused to investigate this strange new arrival, with two brave baby seagulls venturing to step onto the carpet, squawking either in excitement or terror as one of them butted its head against Albus’ hand. Laughing, Gellert watched for a little while before he conjured a shower of gold and silver sparks in the air, sending the flock of seagulls chasing after them in a cacophony of flapping wings and excited screeches. 

As they left the coast of England and flew over the Channel, Albus cleared his throat. “Gellert, as much as I love surprises and as beautiful as this all is, I can’t wait any longer. Won’t you tell me where we’re going?”

Gellert, who had guided the carpet to drop lower so he could take advantage of the chance to cast magical petals over the bewildered sailors without being seen, turned around with a grin. “I did wonder when you were going to ask me that. Perhaps you can guess from this.” He waved his wand, and immediately a rainbow of languid notes from a string quartet filled the air, washing over them both and sweeping them into a sensual dance, though they remained quite still. 

A light like stars twinkled in Albus’ eyes as he smiled. “Puccini,” he whispered. 

Gellert nodded. “You told me that your mother used to play his music when you were younger. That one day -”

“One day, she would take us to see his country.” Albus’ breath hitched and he clasped Gellert’s hand. “You’re taking me to Italy.” 

“In the end, yes. I might not be able to show you the whole world in one night,” said Gellert. “But I can at least show you a part of it.” He guided the carpet lower still when he saw what lay below them. “The Eiffel Tower,” he said. “One of the most romantic places on the continent with views of Paris that are beyond compare.” Drawing Albus into his arms, he brought the carpet almost to a stop. “We only have a little time, but I would not have had you miss this. Nor would I have allowed myself not to take this chance to kiss you here.” Closing his eyes, he leaned in to capture Albus’ lips, feeling him melt against him with a sigh of pleasure as the atmosphere and the music drifted around them. 

From Paris, the carpet took them across France and over the Alps, weaving through the mountains and across fields of green and rivers of gold. Gellert’s magic sent clouds of edelweiss blossoms blowing over them like summer snow where they settled in Albus’ hair, giving him the look of a playful mountain nymph. “This could very well be your land, in a way,” he remarked when Albus huffed. “After all, the name derives from the Latin word for white, and we both know what that is.”

“So I can now tell everyone I know that I was named after a mountain range?” Albus raised his eyebrows. “I cannot imagine what they might make of that.”

“I can think of worse places to be named after,” said Gellert as the sun began to set over the mountains, turning the snow-covered peaks into a stunning array of reds and golds. “But I was going to say that you could tell everyone that the mountains were named after you.”

Albus snorted. “Not only is that not true, it also sounds terribly narcissistic.” But his smile took the rancour out of his words as he lay back and admired the view. 

“And you would never want that, would you?” Laughing as a wicked idea crept into his mind, Gellert sent the carpet on a sharp trajectory speeding up the mountains and spraying clouds of snow behind him. He draped his arm around a screaming Albus’ waist, yelping himself as fingernails dug sharply into his arm. “Relax, Albus, it’s quite safe. I have no intention to try and kill you and, besides, if I did -”

“This would be exactly how you would do it.” His face slightly green, Albus poked him in the side, trying to hold back his laughter. “No witnesses for miles, it’s easy for it to look like an accident -”

“I’m not sure if I should be flattered that you know me so well, or offended that we’re even having this conversation in the first place.” Gellert steadied the carpet, letting them glide over the mountains. 

“I would say neither. Personally, I think you should be more annoyed that I deduced your dastardly scheme.”

“You’re quite right.” With a huff, Gellert slapped his thigh, affecting an expression of frustration. “Now, I’ll have to start planning all over again, won’t I?”

“You could.” Albus shrugged. “But I fear you will be wasting your time. I have seen through all your nefarious schemes so far.”

“Not all of them,” countered Gellert. “You never realised I was trying to seduce you until I -” but then he saw, spreading out before them, the lights of a city set as though upon a wide blue lake. His breath caught at the burnt orange tower piercing the sky with its golden angelic weathervane. “Albus,” he whispered, feeling his eyes sting, “come here.”

“Planning to launch me off the carpet, are you? Rather amateur by anyone’s standards. Really, Gellert...oh.” Albus’ hand went to his mouth as he too gazed at the majestic view they were slowly descending towards. 

“Welcome to Venice.” Gellert swallowed hard. “You are looking at the _Campanile di San Marco_ \- one of the most stunning landmarks of this intriguing city.” They glided down towards the ground as the bells began to ring out across the square, attracting the attention of crowds of tourists with their clear voices. “This, along with the basilica, are always guaranteed to draw crowds of thousands to Venice, people desperate to see the place before the next tragedy befalls it.”

“I can see why.” Albus leaned over, taking in the scene, apparently rendered nearly speechless by the pearlescent cathedral that shadowed over the square, bathing in the fading sunlight. “It looks as though it could be found in some divine realm where heavenly royalty might sit and preside over their subjects, the bells calling their people to worship them as the kings and queens they know they are.” He turned to Gellert. “One almost wonders what kind of tragedy could possibly happen in such a place.”

“Nowhere is safe from terrible things.” Gellert brought the carpet down to ground level where it floated on top of the water surrounding the square. “The bell tower alone has been damaged on countless occasions, be it by the elements or by human carelessness. A great deal of work has been done to restore it over the years, but it will not save it. One day, I suspect in the next few years, the tower will collapse entirely.” He shuddered, remembering what his gift had shown him that night. “The sight will break the hearts of Venice, though the cost will, fortunately, be minimal in terms of loss of life.” 

He trailed his fingers in the water. “But even without that, the city, and in particular this centrepiece, will always stand on the threshold of destruction. The _piazza_ alone has been beset by flooding several times a year, and the city itself could become entirely submerged if the weather is violent enough. I fear that, one day, all that will be left of this fine city is what has been recorded in writing and art, and what still lives in the memories of those who were lucky enough to see it.”

“Like us.” Albus wiped his eyes, visibly affected by this bleak picture of the future. “Is...is that why you brought me? So I might have the chance to see it?”

“While you still can, yes.” Gellert nodded. “It would be a crime for me to bring you to Italy and not show you this place, even a little of it.” He drew a long breath and reached into his pocket, drawing out a small purple box, which he placed in Albus’ hands. “Open it.”

“You didn’t have to get me anything.” Albus’ voice shook. “Surely you know that just being with you is more than enough of a gift.” Still, he lifted the lid, gasped and abruptly closed it again, visibly trembling from shock. “Gellert, that’s too much! I can’t possibly -”

“Yes, you can.” Gellert opened the box again, revealing the two gold rings, intricately designed to represent their Patronuses, nestled on a bed of crushed velvet. “I know we have our troth, bound in blood, and that will always shine bright for both of us. But it would still mean a lot if you would carry a part of me with you, just as I will carry a part of me with you.”

“You know there would be nothing that I would want more,” Albus admitted. “But if we’re seen...surely people will ask questions?”

“No, because they will not know.” Gellert grinned, lifting out one of the rings and holding it up so Albus could see the still bright sunlight catching on every tiny scale on the dragon’s wings. “The only people who will see them are you and I. Not even my aunt will know, until the day comes when we can wear them openly. Then, and only then, will I take the spell off. And, on that day, I will step out in public, my hand in yours, and call you my partner in every way.” He cradled Albus’ hand in his as the carpet, seemingly knowing exactly where it was going, floated unseen through the city, past the singing gondoliers and under bridges lit up by torchlight. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes.” Albus nodded his head almost wildly, his breath catching in his throat as the ring was slid onto his finger, the tiny amethysts that made up the dragon’s eyes winking up at him. “It’s beautiful,” he whispered, before turning his attention to the box where the other ring, this one designed as a phoenix, still waited. “Can I...” he blushed crimson, “do you want to?”

Gellert did not saw a word. Instead, as they reached the famous Rialto bridge, he held out his own hand and watched, filled with joy, as Albus placed the ring on his finger. Their smiles matched, lighting up their faces, as the carpet finally soared back into the air, carrying them away from the city.    
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gellert has already stunned Albus by taking him to Venice, but he is by no means done yet! There are certain parts of Italy that he will not have the man he loves miss!

“Now, are you ready for the second stop on your Italian odyssey?” asked Gellert as he admired the ring glinting on Albus’ finger. He knew that had been quite a bold move on his part, and he could not help but feel relieved, as well as overjoyed, that Albus had accepted the gesture, and all that it represented, with so much pleasure. 

“The second stop?” Albus looked astounded. “You just took me to Venice, Gellert! Are you telling me that wasn’t everything?”

“Of course it wasn’t.” Gellert scoffed. “You should know by now, Albus, that when I make plans, I do not make them half-heartedly.”

“I would hardly call what you have done today half-hearted, love,” chuckled Albus, even as he leaned back against Gellert’s chest. “Very well, then. Where are we going?”

Gellert spread out his hands to reveal a wild and dramatic landscape spread out below them reaching out all the way to the sparkling sea. Small towns were scattered throughout the fertile valleys and ruggedly windswept hills, tiny lights flickering in the windows of the houses and bringing the world to life. Tall trees brought shade to the winding dusty roads where people walked and children played, talking and laughing as they basked in the summer evening. Gellert flicked his wand and they drifted down towards a walled hilltop town with several tall towers standing out against the rapidly reddening sky. 

As they came in closer, they saw a small group playing in the town’s square and the raindrop-light melody of plucked strings and rich singing filled the air around them. He turned slowly so that the carpet was parked on a roof of one of the houses overlooking the square. “Welcome, Albus, to San Gimignano, one of the most famous old towns in Tuscany. Honestly, I cannot recall seeing a place like this anywhere else in the world.” Indeed, it had quite taken his breath away as they had flown closer and the town had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, from over the hills, the skyline swooping in almost unexpectedly, just as it had before. “Come on,” he said, taking Albus’ hand, “let’s go and have a look around.”

It was a mark of how entranced Albus was that he merely chuckled and allowed Gellert to magically float them to the ground. “Are we invisible?” he whispered when no one paid them any attention.

“No, but this is the magical part of town,” explained Gellert. “They have foreign tourists coming here all the time, because there is so much to explore. Just as, I am told, the Muggle town also has much to offer curious visitors. Two young travellers, even with a magic carpet, will not draw very much surprise in this place.” He laughed and nodded as a few of the locals waved cheerfully at them, calling out welcoming phrases in Italian, before they returned to their gentle music, which was now accompanied by several couples dancing intimately together. 

“You said you had been here before,” said Albus as they stopped in the shadow of a tall tower to watch the sun shrink below the walls of the town. “When? What brought you here?”

“Durmstrang would often organise trips to different countries. It’s so important to see the world beyond your own borders if you are to truly understand it. But it was also a wonderful opportunity to explore different magical cultures and to see how they might differ from our own. I was almost fifteen when I came here and it left quite an impression on me. To be honest, looking back, I sometimes almost wish I had not left.” He let out a long sigh, breathing in the sweet Italian air. “I suppose nothing of the sort was done at Hogwarts?”

“No.” Albus sounded sad. “Some students did not even know there were other wizarding schools in Europe. I know,” he nodded as Gellert’s mouth fell open, “that always surprised me as well, but it’s only now that I realise just how isolated we truly are compared to the rest of Europe.” He brushed his fingers slowly against Gellert’s. “I wish we had been given the opportunities you were.”

Gellert nodded, giving Albus’ fingers a quick squeeze before looking around and boldly kissing him on the cheek. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”

They strode through the town centre, wandering in and out of the various side streets and admiring the shops and stalls brimming with interesting merchandise. Gellert himself decided to purchase a small model of a piano that could be charmed to respond to its owner’s mood and play music to bring them strength and comfort. His fingers trembled as he slipped it into one of the pockets in his bag and he was grateful for the gentle touch of Albus’ hand on his arm. Making sure that no one was watching, he took a moment to cover it with his own as he hoisted the bag back onto his shoulder. Both boys shared a secret smile as their rings brushed against each other, the two creatures seeming to watch each other as one of the phoenix’s wings brushed over the dragon’s scaled back. 

Afterwards, he led Albus down a cobbled street, out of the way of the crowds, towards a shop set further back in a small alcove. It looked old and almost hidden away, but the facade was draped with a deep rose gold-coloured silk and trimmed with pale pink lanterns, each one housing a single small candle. A set of chimes sung out, surrounding them both with silvery music. 

Gellert smiled when Albus closed his eyes and simply stood still, allowing the atmosphere to sink in. “It is beautiful,” he said. “But there’s something else that I think you’ll find equally, if not even more, so.” Without waiting for Albus to reply, he bounded over to the small shop and, after a quick conversation in slightly fragmented Italian, he returned with two cones brimming with an assortment of different flavoured scoops. “It might not be Fortescue’s,” he conceded, handing one to Albus, “but you can’t come to Italy and not try some gelato. Especially when it is made by one of the most famous wizarding chefs in the country.”

“You truly do know all the best places, don’t you?” Albus grinned and took a bite out of one of the scoops. Almost immediately, his eyes rolled back into his head and let loose in incandescent moan of pleasure.

“Well,” said Gellert, his mouth twitching as he fought not to laugh, “I hope that won’t be the only time I hear that noise escaping your gorgeous lips tonight.”

“Oh, stop it.” Albus’ cheeks flushed brightly, even as he chuckled. Still, any embarrassment he might have felt was apparently not enough to stop him from indulging in the frozen treat. “You’re right, this really is wonderful.”

“Yes, I can tell,” agreed Gellert. “If you want, I can give you both some, um, private time.”

“I hardly think that will be necessary,” said Albus primly. “But I would much rather take a walk around the walls with you. Can we?”

“We could. However, I have to wonder,” Gellert cast a wandless spell and the carpet came swirling across to meet them, “why would you walk when you can fly?”

~*~

Over an hour later, Albus had been forced to concede that, while the walk around the city walls had been a charming experience, it could not compare to the exhilaration of circling the place from the air as the sun set lower and lower. Gellert, who could not help but feel a little smug about this, only emphasised the truth by leaning over to kiss Albus properly, not even flinching when his partner glared at him for laughing when he ended up with a face full of pistachio gelato as a result. 

From the medieval town, they flew further north-west, headed towards the Tuscan coast. But there was still one last stop that Gellert knew they could not miss. He rested his hand on Albus’ shoulder, playing with strands of his hair as, gleaming like pearl against the darkening sky, Pisa’s familiar leaning tower soared into view. They meandered idly in and out of the carved archways until they reached the top and hovered quietly, taking in the sight. 

“I don’t understand how it has stayed up for so long,” Albus mused in response to Gellert’s animated explanation of the history of the tower and the cathedral. “It looks ready to topple over at a moment’s notice if a stiff breeze hits it in the wrong place.”

“It has had more than strong winds to contend with.” Gellert rested his chin in his hands. “Earthquakes are not uncommon here. Some had enough power to be able to turn such a tower to dust. Yet, somehow, it has endured, withstood everything nature has thrown at it without even flinching.”

Albus eyed the sloping tower suspiciously. “How is that possible? Is magic involved?”

Gellert laughed. “Some wizards might boast of that, but no. The tower and the cathedral too are, as far as I know, entirely Muggle-built. No one is completely sure how the tower has stayed up, but they have been researching it for centuries trying to find an answer.” He shrugged, feeling thoughtful. “I suspect what they search for might be closer than they realise, though what it is, I cannot say.”

Albus licked another scoop of gelato, his cone now half-empty. “Perhaps someone will find out one day.” He turned and gave Gellert a bright smile. “This has been a truly wonderful evening. Thank you.”

“Oh, it isn’t over yet.” Smiling back, Gellert tangled their free hands together. “You forget, liebling - always save the best until last. And that is precisely what I intend to do.”

His heart leapt in his throat as, once again, he ran his fingers through the carpet’s golden fringe. As they took off again, he thought he felt the tassels give his hand a reassuring squeeze in return. He relaxed at the feeling of Albus’ head dropping onto his shoulder and, pressing a kiss to the other boy’s forehead, he steered them towards the sea. 

By the time they descended onto the quiet beach, drifting over the treetops, the sun had set completely and stars were beginning to explode across the sky. It was still warm, though, and Gellert paused for only a few moments to pull out and erect the tent that he had brought, before he stripped off his clothes and launched himself straight into the warm waves. He swam a few lengths up and down before allowing the water to carry him back into the wet sand where he greeted Albus’ deadpan face with a roguish grin. 

“Come on, the water’s lovely,” he said. “Get out of those clothes and come join me.” He held out his hand, rolling his eyes when Albus made no move to take it.

“This surely cannot be a magical area,” said Albus doubtfully. “What if someone comes by and sees us?”

“Why, are you scared of a little danger and excitement?” Gellert stood up in the shallows and let the water rush over him, grinning when Albus visibly struggled to conceal his reaction. “Don’t worry, I thought of all that. The place has protective wards everywhere, set up by none other than me, so no one will see us or hear us. They won’t even hear you scream.” 

Albus raised an eyebrow at him. “I suspect that might have sounded much less terrifying in your head,” he remarked. “And, what do you mean, they won’t hear me scream? I am not that loud!”

“Just as I suppose you’re also not addicted to lemon-flavoured sweets, either?” Wandlessly, Gellert summoned the small bag he had sneakily picked up in San Gimignano from the inside of his jacket. He held it out as he raced backwards towards the sea, laughing. “Now, how far are you willing to go for them, hmm?”

Even from a distance, he could see the moment Albus changed his mind, could almost hear the resigned groan escape his lips as he slipped out of his clothes. However, that did not stop him from nearly jumping out of his skin at the loud crack that echoed behind him, drenching him with salt water. To hide his embarrassment, he turned around and, just as Albus was about to grab him and tickle him, he slipped a lemon sweet onto his lover’s tongue before claiming a deep kiss. 

Albus squeaked in surprised pleasure before he melted into it, sliding into Gellert’s embrace as their tongues tangled around each other. Slowly, the water lapped and swirled around them, lifting them off the ground so they were floating in each other’s arms. Gellert chuckled at Albus’ squeak of shock and drew him closer, holding him against his chest. 

“You’re perfectly safe,” he said. “I won’t let anything happen. You can trust me, remember?”

Albus grunted, but nodded wryly. “I trust you.”

They floated together silently for some time, just enjoying the solitude, before Gellert spoke again. “I love this, you know.”

“Hmm?” Albus blinked sleepily and looked up at him. “You love what?”

“This.” Gellert gestured towards their entwined bodies. “That I can be here, like this with you, and not have it always be sexual in nature. I have never experienced such a thing before.” He lowered his eyes and brushed a finger over Albus’ forehead before admitting, “It makes me feel safe.”

Albus’ bright blue eyes turned soft and he wrapped Gellert in a hug that, for all its brevity, said far more than words ever could. He pressed a soft kiss to Gellert’s cheek and looked straight into his eyes. 

“You will always be safe with me,” he whispered. Then, a blinding grin lit up his face and his eyes twinkled with mirth. “Even when I do this!” With a peel of laughter, he wandlessly conjured a great wave that swept in from behind and crashed over Gellert’s head. 

Or, at least, it would have. Except that Gellert had heard it coming and dodged out of the way at the last second. “Really,” he said, chuckling at Albus’ pouting expression, “you must be able to do better than that? By your standards, it’s positively amateurish. Far too obvious and, quite frankly, beneath you. Not remotely impressive, I’m afraid.”

“And I suppose you would know all about that, wouldn’t you?” Albus scoffed and folded his arms. “Besides, isn’t it an unwritten rule that you’re not allowed to criticise someone on their birthday?”

“Is it? I cannot say I have ever heard of such a rule. But then again, as you know, I have never been one to play by the rules. And yes, I would in fact know all about being impressive.” Smirking, Gellert trailed his fingers over the water, his eyes drifting shut as he infused it with magic. The waves began to respond to his call, swirling around them both and shifting into silver and blue fish that swam around them in a circle and blew thin fountains of starlit water over them. Gellert waved his arm carelessly in the air and, as a sensuous flute melody accompanied by a slow drum beat began to play, he caught Albus’ hand and spun him into his arms. “Dance with me?”

Even in the fading light, he could see a dusting of pink land on Albus’ cheeks. “With pleasure,” he said and nestled into Gellert’s chest as they swayed together in time to the music, allowing the gentle current to lead them in their movements. 

As they drifted along together, Gellert felt Albus shake a little in his arms and stroked his fingers gently over his back. “Are you all right?” 

“I was just thinking about what you said before. About us being together like this and not having it be...well, you know.” Albus rested his head on Gellert’s shoulder. “Even after everything we’ve done, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so close to you before. You feel like...like acceptance. Like hope.” 

“I should hope so,” said Gellert, his voice shaking with how much the words affected him. “I would not want you to change for anyone, Albus, least of all for me. You never, ever have to hide away from me. I only want you to be who you are, and to love who you are. Because I love you.” 

“I think I’m finally starting to believe that.” Albus gave him a watery smile. “And you were right before. When you said you had saved the best until the end. This is just, it’s perfect.”

Gellert nodded. “I know I did. I had this planned for some time, you know, even though we have barely known each other for a couple of months. But that has been more than enough time for me to see you, to know you - and to know that you deserve the best.” He kissed the tip of Albus’ pointed nose and twirled him around again. “Come with me. Let me show you what else awaits you. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.” He grinned, but even underneath his bravado, his heart anxiously skipped several beats, not only out of fear that things would not turn out as he had hoped, but also in trembling anticipation of what he hoped would follow afterwards. 

Some of the myriad of emotions must have broken free on his face, because Albus leaned over and looked at him seriously as he clasped his hand and kissed his fingertips. “I know I won’t be,” he assured him as, once more, their rings brushed against each other. “I am with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you go to Italy, I highly recommend you try the gelato. I won’t lie, the first time I did, my reaction was pretty similar to Albus’. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and kudos and comments make my day! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus receives some extremely special birthday presents and Gellert begins to face up to his demons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right guys, here’s the smut I promised in the tags! Enjoy!

They swam back into the shallow water and then, hand in hand, and with the magical fish watching them and playing in the shallows, they raced up the beach and collapsed, laughing, onto the carpet. Gellert leaned back and rolled his eyes in amusement, but made no comment, as Albus pulled his shirt back over his shoulders. Instead, he reached for his bag and, very carefully, produced a pair of glass flutes and a bottle of sparkling champagne, the latter of which he passed to Albus. “If you would do the honours?”

Albus chuckled and tapped the cork with his wand, only to cry out in astonishment as a sparkling cloud of pink and gold filled the air around them. Both boys watched, Gellert in relieved satisfaction and Albus with awed enchantment, as the shimmering rain poured down around the carpet and over the lemon and chocolate cake that Gellert had just added the finishing touches to. Large pieces of golden honeycomb and tiny bumblebees, their wings now giving off a soft glow, now surrounded it as it waited to be cut. Finally, he added a large bowl brimming with fresh red strawberries dipped in chocolate and a small pot of chilled cream to their starlit picnic. He coated one of the strawberries with cream and handed it to Albus. But it was only then that he saw, reflected in the shimmering light, the watery gleam in his partner’s eyes.

“Albus?” he whispered, his stomach dropping several notches. “Is it...did I get it wrong? My aunt told me chocolate and lemon cake was your favourite.”

“It is.” Albus blinked and rubbed his face. “It’s perfect, Gellert. You’ve just...this is more than anyone has done for my birthday in years.” He leaned over and bit into the proffered strawberry, his tongue sliding out to catch the drops of juice. “I feel a little overwhelmed, as if all of this is going to turn out to be a dream, and I’m going to wake up and -”

“Does this feel like a dream?” Gellert leaned in and kissed Albus fervently, tangling his fingers through wet auburn curls. He smiled when he pulled back and Albus shook his head. “No,” he agreed, tapping him lightly on the nose. “Because it isn’t a dream. It’s real. Completely real.”

“It is real.” Albus’ voice cracked on the last word, but he smiled. “I’m being silly, aren’t I?”

“No, you have just had little to smile about lately. But things will get better, I will make sure of it.” Gellert kissed Albus on the forehead and poured them each a glass of bubbling champagne, dropping a strawberry into each one. “And now, a toast. To the man who has turned my life around, who gave my life meaning and hope again. And who,” he paused to collect himself, “who showed me what it meant to truly love and...and to be loved in return.” His hand trembled as he touched his glass against Albus’. “Happy birthday, darling.”

They leaned against each other, bare legs entwined, and while feeding each other strawberries. More than once, Albus ended up chasing the last little flecks of chocolate from Gellert’s fingers, the little sucking noises he made leaving Gellert almost regretting the Silencing and Concealing charms he had put around the beach. But even as his stomach fluttered at the sensation, he ignored that roguish voice in his head; he would never do something like that when he knew Albus would be uncomfortable with it.

At the same time, the glasses of champagne were almost singing out for their attention so, once the bowl of strawberries had been depleted, they sat back and sipped their drinks, watching the stars shine above them. Gellert, however, spluttered with laughter when Albus, having taken an ambitiously large gulp, was promptly besieged by an attack of hiccups. To make matters worse, every time he let one out, he ended up snorting tiny bubbles out of his nose, which just made Gellert laugh harder.

“You put a spell on this champagne,” Albus accused him with as fierce a glare as he could muster while batting away more and more bubbles.

“On my honour as a wizard, I assure you I did no such thing.” Gellert folded his arms and mock-scowled at him. “I suspect you simply have no idea how you are meant to drink champagne.”

“And I suppose you know, do you?”

“Of course. I only rarely partook in it myself, but I observed the older students and the staff drinking it on special occasions, and I learned from their example. And what I observed is that it is better to take small sips and savour them. Let the taste flow over your tongue, you see?”  

“Right.” Albus nodded and hiccuped again, this time much more violently so his whole body jolted. “Can you please do something about this so I can at least try to enjoy the rest of tonight?”

Gellert raised an eyebrow. “Normally, I would point out that you are a wizard with a more than capable wand. However, looking at you now, I rather fear that you might accidentally charm your nose off.” Chuckling at Albus’ glare, he flicked his own wand and immediately the hiccups stopped, though the little bubbles still remained floating in the air. “Better?”

“Much better.” Albus grinned and relaxed, setting his glass down. “But I can’t help thinking that it’s time we checked if that cake tastes as stunning as it looks.”

“I suppose it is.” Chuckling to try and mask a sudden onset of nerves, Gellert picked up a shell and Transfigured it into a sharp knife with a pearlescent handle, which he held out to Albus. “After you.”

“Oh, no. It might be my birthday cake, but you were the one who took the time and effort to make it in the first place.” Shaking his head, Albus closed his fingers around the knife, brushing Gellert’s knuckles as he did so. “Together.”

Gellert decided not to admit that Bathilda had helped him a little with the baking. Instead, he nodded and the two of them made the first cut into the cake, carving out a hearty slice for them to share. At the same time, a pile of lemon and chocolate bumblebee-shaped sweets cascaded out from the middle of the delectable hive, and Gellert caught a few of them in his hand. “Sit back now,” he instructed Albus as he himself cut the cake into marbled squares.

“You really like to have fun with the fact that my name means ‘bumblebee’, don’t you?” Albus teased, his eyelids fluttering closed as Gellert placed a forkful of cake on his tongue. “Oh. Oh, Merlin, that is divine.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Gellert preened as the flavours melted over his tongue, sweet and tart, and he brushed his finger over Albus’ bottom lip, brushing away a few stray crumbs.

Albus laughed and chased the finger with his tongue, trying to plant kisses on Gellert’s hand, only to be distracted each time when a strawberry or a sweet was brushed over his lips and he ended up losing himself in the rich sweetness melting over his tongue. “You, Gellert Grindelwald, are such a scoundrel,” he scolded, though his bright smile took any rancour out of his words.

“Guilty as charged, indeed,” agreed Gellert before he finally leaned up and captured Albus’ mouth with his own, taking in the heady taste of champagne mixed with chocolate and strawberries. They kissed languidly under the stars for several minutes, their bodies pressed close together and fingers tangling in each other’s hair, before he pulled back, gazing straight into Albus’ slightly unfocused eyes. “You know, I confess, I did have another reason for bringing you here tonight.”

“Oh?” Albus tilted his head, licking away a bit of strawberry juice from the corner of his mouth. “And what would that be?”

Gellert swallowed, his mouth suddenly a little dry. “Do you remember what you once told me your greatest wish was? Well,” his heart beat faster as he lay back on the carpet, letting the warm summer breeze flow over his naked body, “tonight, that wish comes true.”

Albus looked at him curiously, though his cheeks flushed. “My...my greatest wish was to,” then his eyes went wide with a mixture of shock and desire. “Gellert, are you saying...?”

“Yes.” Gellert reached out and trailed a finger down Albus’ chest. “I’ve thought about it for a while, but I always felt a sinking in my stomach, stopping me from saying it. But today, when I thought about it, I knew it was right.”

“Gellert, I don’t know what to say.” Albus clasped their hands together, his fingers trembling. “That you would put yourself in my hands after everything...are you really sure?”

“If you don’t want to do it, just say so,” Gellert assured him. “I won’t push you. But yes, I’m sure. I’m ready, Albus. I...” he let out a long breath, trying to ignore the swirling in his stomach, “I want to be yours.”

The burn of lust clouded Albus’ eyes for a few seconds. “Mine,” he whispered. He cleared his throat and shook his head, visibly trying to regain some control. “Is there...anything we haven’t already talked about that you don’t want me to do?”

A whisper of a memory came to Gellert and he carefully wrapped his hands around his neck. A tremor of nausea shot through him at the feeling and he pulled his hands away as if he had been stung. “Just that,” he whispered, cursing the raggedness of his voice.

Albus paled a little, but nodded. “All right.” He clasped Gellert’s hand again and kissed his knuckles. “And promise me that if you’re not comfortable or if you want to stop, at any time, you will tell me. I might have wanted this for a while, but I will not hurt you.”

“I promise. Hey,” Gellert stroked Albus’ face and kissed his forehead, brushing his fingers through Albus’ soft curls. “I trust you.” He slipped his hand down to slide the still damp shirt off Albus’ shoulders, smiling as his lover’s breath caught in his throat at the sensation. “I want this. I want you.”  

Albus’ breath visibly caught in his throat at Gellert’s declaration before he nodded and leaned in to kiss him long and slow while his hands gently roamed over Gellert’s body, caressing his skin and making him shiver with every touch. Gradually, his lips trailed over Gellert’s face and neck, across his clavicle and down to his chest where he spent a little time lavishing attention over his nipples while his hands stroke over Gellert’s stomach and then down to massage his thighs. He paused and pressed his head on Gellert’s chest, placing a kiss over his heart. “You’re very quiet,” he murmured, “is this all right?”

Gellert blinked and nodded, trying to force out a coherent reply amongst the fog of bliss gathering in his brain. He looked up and, as his eyes locked with Albus’, his heart jumped in his chest. “Don’t stop,” he panted, warmth starting to penetrate him deep inside, sending him melting backwards into the carpet. “Please don’t stop…” Even as he said it, though, he could not hold back a shudder and a cry as Albus’ tongue moved lower down, kissing his hips and pelvis.

“No!” he exclaimed as Albus looked up, concern shining in his beautiful eyes. “I’m fine. More than fine, actually. You just caught me by surprise a little.” He caught Albus’ cheek in one hand and brushed a soft kiss over his lips. “I promise you. Don’t stop now.”

Albus nodded, though he still watched him intently for several seconds, his solemn expression looking for any sign of a lie. When he clearly did not find one, he nodded, bending his head and kissing Gellert’s inner thigh, bestowing gentle and loving touches all over. He settled between Gellert’s legs and dropped a soft kiss onto his knee. “Can I…can I use my tongue on you?”

“What?” That, Gellert had not expected to hear, and the thought made his cock ache with excitement. But he still knew he had to ask. “Are…are you sure you want to?”

“Oh yes.” A broad smile lit up Albus’ face. “It feels so wonderful when you do it. I want to make you feel just as good. But only if you want me to.”

“If you want to,” Gellert nodded, “then…then by Merlin, yes. Please.” His heart felt as though it was about to burst out of his chest as he watched Albus settle down, very carefully easing his legs apart to give himself better access. He gasped as he felt Albus’ tongue stroking over him, opening him up and sending warm and wet heat through his body, inflaming him until he couldn’t take it any more. He tried to call out a warning, tried to stop himself, but it was too late, he was so sensitive and could not hold himself back as he came with a strangled cry. Horrified, he jerked backwards, hiding his face in his hands, and braced himself for the storm he knew was coming. Already, he could hear furious words being thrown at him, feel rough hands grabbing his shoulders and shaking him, nails digging into his neck even as he tried to apologise, tried to make it better. He cursed his lack of discipline, his weakness, knowing that he’d ruined what was supposed to be such a special night.

Except that he was being very gently pulled into a soft embrace, hands rubbing up and down his back and soothing words of comfort whispered in his ear. Slowly, he looked up, and found himself staring straight at Albus, who was watching him with an expression that showed nothing except love and concern.

“Shh, it’s all right, don’t apologise,” he was whispering now, his fingers brushing through Gellert’s sweaty curls. “You haven’t ruined anything. Everything’s perfectly fine, I promise.” He kissed Gellert’s cheek softly and lay down beside him, holding him close in his arms. “Look at me, love. Look at me and try to breathe. Slowly, in and out. You’re safe with me, always. I swear, I will never touch you in any way that will harm you.”

Slowly, eased by the gentle and kind words, Gellert’s breathing returned to normal and his head stopped spinning, allowing him to lean against Albus’ bare shoulder as he returned to the present, relaxing at the sound of his partner’s gentle words, and the truth that blossomed within them. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, cheeks burning hot. “That was so -”

“Hey, no. You have done nothing wrong. Actually, I rather enjoyed seeing you let go like that.”

“You did?” Gellert’s head snapped up, his eyes widening. “But…why?”

Albus blushed, looking a little sheepish. “I would hate to be insensitive, but…knowing that it was me who brought you to the edge, and beyond, like that…well, it gave me quite a thrill, to be honest. That I could give you even half the pleasure you have always given me. Not to mention,” he kissed Gellert’s lips softly, “you look utterly…stunning when you come.”

Gellert knew that ‘stunning’ had not been the word that Albus had been about to say, and he felt himself blush as well. “Do you mean that?”

“Of course I do.” Albus nodded emphatically. “Merlin’s beard, Gellert, if you could just see yourself. You are a vision of absolute perfection, and I still almost can’t believe I’m lucky enough to be able to see you like this.” He paused, his eyes suddenly flashing with anger. “I swear to you, Gellert, I would like nothing more than to hunt down anyone who ever told you differently, or made you ashamed to acknowledge your own pleasure. Because you deserve to be made to feel good. You deserve to be worshipped. You deserve to be loved.”

Gellert swallowed hard. “Thank you, Albus,” he whispered. “That means so much. You did make me feel so good, and I’m sorry if I ruined the mood.”

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Albus insisted. “We can just lie here and hold each other, if that’s what you want. I won’t push you. Just tell me what you want to do.”

“I want you.” Gellert didn’t even have to hesitate. “I want you to take me. As I said before…I want to be yours.” He leaned up to kiss away the inevitable protest. “Please, Albus. Tell me you want this too.”

“I do,” Albus assured him. “You have no idea how much I want this. But I want you to be sure -”

“I am sure.” Gellert traced his finger over Albus’ side. “I would not say it if I wasn’t. I want you to,” he drew a deep breath, “I want you to use your fingers on me, to spread me out, make me ready for you. I want you to hear me moaning your name as I’m melting into your touch. I want to feel you inside me, Albus. I want you to…to make love to me.”

Albus’ chest hitched visibly at the declaration. “All right, love. But you have to tell me if you change your mind.” He sat still, waiting for Gellert to nod, and then gently laid him back down on the carpet, massaging his thighs and kissing his eyes, nose and lips. “Do you have oil?”

“In…in the bag.” Gellert moaned softly as he Summoned it over to them, letting it soar straight into Albus’ outstretched hand. “Please, Albus…I’m ready for you.”

The scent of lemons filled the air as Albus popped the bottle open and poured a generous amount over his fingers. He stroked his other hand soothingly through Gellert’s hair, drifting down to cup his face and caress his cheekbone. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Gellert leaned into the touch, pressing a kiss to Albus’ palm. “Yes, please do it.”

He took a long breath and sank back into the carpet, gasping as Albus’ slicked finger stroked him, easing him open, and then very gently glided in, brushing against the whispering nerves he found there. Gellert’s breath caught harshly in his throat and he grabbed onto the edge of the carpet, panting as his heart began to race almost painfully. “Merlin, I feel like a nervous virgin,” he eventually managed to choke out.

“There’s nothing wrong with being nervous. After what you went through at school, I am astounded that you trust me with this alone.” Albus paused in his ministrations, visibly concerned. “You don’t have to do this just to make me happy, you know. Just because it’s my birthday, it doesn’t mean you owe me anything, least of all this. Just say the word and we can stop at any time.”

He did look as though he was thinking about pulling out and stopping anyway, so Gellert shook his head. “I don’t want to stop,” he answered, truthfully, unable to hold back a shiver of pleasure as Albus’ finger twitched inside him. “I need more,” he growled, spreading his legs further. “Albus, I can take it.”

It was clear that Albus was still a little uncertain, so he angled his body slightly, pushing the finger deeper. He thrust back his head and moaned as Albus, who was now also gasping, added a second finger, now using both in tandem to slowly stretch and spread him. He moved up to straddle Gellert’s hips and reached out to brush the sweat-soaked hair off his face.

“You’re doing so well,” he whispered, kissing Gellert on the forehead and then on his chest, right over his heart, resting his own forehead against the same spot. “This feeling I have when we’re together like this, it’s,” he shook his head, “I don’t even have words to describe it.”

“My - _ah, yes_ \- my, is the great A...Albus Dumbledore lost for words?” But Gellert understood. As Albus’ fingers continued to stroke and encourage him, allowed him to relax and spread himself, he felt as though the night’s stars were cascading around him, filling him with a warm song that lightened his heart and made it seem as though anything was possible. He felt completely exposed and vulnerable, but for the first time, he did not fear it. Instead, under the gaze of those blue eyes so filled with love and kindness, he realised that he wanted more and more of it. He wanted to be left entirely in Albus’ hands, wanted to feel himself be slowly taken apart, piece by piece, all under the guidance of his partner’s silken touch.

“Take me,” he gasped out, tilting Albus’ head up so he could stare into those eyes again. “Make me yours.”

“You are sure?” Albus’ voice had a rough note to it that did nothing to hide his arousal, but his expression remained solemn and careful even as he slid his fingers back out, leaving Gellert feeling stretched and hot and desperate for more. “I don’t want to -”

“You _haven’t_ forced me, Albus. I would not offer if I did not desire this.” A part of Gellert was a little frustrated at the hesitation, though, at the same time, he appreciated it more than he could admit. “Please. I’m ready.”

Albus swallowed, even as he poured more oil into his hand and lazily stroked it over his cock, suppressed moans escaping his lips as he did so. “If it becomes too much, you must tell me,” he whispered.  

“I will.” Gellert stroked Albus’ free hand. “Just let me feel you.”

Apparently convinced, Albus nodded, clasped Gellert’s hand and, all the while caressing and kissing him, he slowly and very gently eased into him, distracting him from any discomfort with kisses and gentle touches over his body. He moved slowly and gently, unbelievably gently, and Gellert’s body responded, allowing himself to give into the sensation, to let it surround him in a way that he never thought would happen for him. Tears pricked his eyes as he realised he had never felt so loved, so cherished. Albus was right there, supporting him, holding him and protecting him, cradling him in his arms as he moved inside him. And he was so gentle, so careful with him, responding to Gellert’s every move, to every sound that escaped his lips. It might be a careful touch to his hip or thigh, a loving word spoken, or even a gentle kiss brushed underneath his eyes. It was almost incomprehensible to describe, there were so many feelings fighting to make themselves known. All he could do was reach out for his partner, desperate to be close to him, to feel him, to try and share this incredible sensation with him.

A soft and gentle warmth began to flow through him and he started to give into it, letting it take him over. “Al...Albus,” he gasped, shuddering under the weight of that feeling. “I’m...I can’t...”

“It’s all right.” Albus’ gentle voice sounded oddly far away, but there was no mistaking the sincerity that flew on his words. “I’m right here, Gellert. I’ve got you. Give into what you’re feeling. You’re safe with me.”

“I’m...Albus, I,” but he could not find any more words as his orgasm built up further and exploded out of him. Over his head, he watched the stars burst into even more shards of light and music, this time rushing over his skin and making his overwhelmed body curl in on itself as little shivers rushed down his spine. He barely registered the damp trails working their way down his face until Albus’ fingers began slowly brushing them away. He blinked and leaned into the touch as both their bodies entwined, almost melding together as one.

“Gellert? Hey, talk to me.” Albus’ arms wound around him, pulling him close and rocking him slowly back and forth. “What’s wrong, love? Did I hurt you?” His breath caught in his throat, his words audibly worried. “Was...was I too rough with you?”

Gellert shook his head wildly, desperate to remove that terrified note from his beloved’s voice. “No...no,” he choked, once he was finally able to speak again, his hands clinging to Albus’ shoulders. “You just...I have never felt like that before.” He wiped his eyes. “You touched me in a way that I didn’t think anyone could, that I never believed I could deserve, right in the depths of my soul. You made me feel so cherished. So safe. Even,” his voice cracked, “even loved.”

“You _are_ loved.” Albus cradled his face in his hands, playing with the ends of his hair. “You are, Gellert, and that will never change.” He placed another soft kiss on Gellert’s lips and lay back down on the carpet, still holding him in his arms. “I know you placed your heart and your trust in the hands of someone before, and he hurt you and betrayed you in a way that I cannot comprehend. But know that I would never, ever treat you in such a way.”

A small, dark part of Gellert wondered if Albus would truly be able to keep such a promise, but he found himself unable to hold onto that thought for too long. It hardly seemed possible, not when he was being held so tenderly, not when their hearts beat together in perfect unison, and certainly not when they had found the time to lie together surrounded by such beauty. Behind them, the trees rustled in the breeze, sharing intimate secrets with the waves that lapped against the shore, covering his bare skin with their salty tang. He rested his head in the crook of Albus’ neck and sighed, letting the gentle noises and the incredible sensation of being loved soothe him and comfort him. He smiled to himself as the realisation dawned on him; after so long, he had found everything he had been looking for; hope, acceptance and, most of all, that sense that there was finally somewhere he could belong, and someone he could belong with.

Eventually, Albus stirred again. “I think we should go inside. It’s turning a little cold.”

Gellert nodded and they gathered up their things, slipped into the tent and lay down, curled up together on the large bed. Gellert smiled and waved his hand so that the blank canvas ceiling was suddenly painted with thousands, even millions, of shimmering stars twinkling above them. “Now, we can still spend the night under the stars,” he murmured, kissing Albus’ cheek. “And this seems like the ideal moment for me to give you the last one of your presents.”

“But you’ve already given me so much,” Albus protested. “This, everything you’ve done, it was more than I could have ever wished for.”  

Gellert shrugged and handed him the slightly ragged scroll. “I want to help you make your dreams come true,” he said. “This might be a start. Open it.”

Albus’ curiosity naturally won out over his protests and he gingerly untied the red ribbon and spread the parchment out in front of him. His mouth fell open and his eyes shone as he read further. “Gellert,” he whispered, “is this...”

“A spell to extract a, for lack of a better word, parasite from its host, yes.” Gellert took Albus’ hand. “I admit, I’m not entirely sure how it works, but I see no reason why we can’t at least use it as a starting point to -” but he was cut off as Albus launched himself into his arms, sobbing into his shoulder. Quickly, he adjusted his body to catch him and hold him tightly against his chest, kissing the top of his head and rubbing his back. For a moment, he panicked, worried that he had made a mistake, that this had only made things worse, but then he caught a few choked words through the sobs.

“Albus, you don’t need to thank me,” he whispered, brushing a few strands of auburn hair back off his face. “Not for this.”

“Of course I do.” Albus sat up, blinking away the film of unshed tears covering his eyes. “I looked for so long for something, anything, that might help her, but there was hardly anything. I was starting to think there was nothing anyone could do for her, that we might have to...” he shuddered and held tighter to Gellert. “But this...Gellert, you’ve given me hope again. Hope that there might be something I can do after all. Even if it doesn’t work, at least I’ve got somewhere to start now, an idea of where to go from here.”

“ _We’ve_ got somewhere to go, you mean,” corrected Gellert. “I’ve told you, Albus, we’re in this together. Both of us. You said that you wanted to help me carry my burdens. Let me help you with yours. You don’t have to do this by yourself. Not any more. All right?”

Albus nodded and picked up the parchment again, his hands trembling. “Where did you even find this? I looked through Bathilda’s library so many times and I never saw it. Was it there all along and I somehow missed it?”  

Gellert shook his head. “No. It was...I read it at Durmstrang shortly before I was expelled.” He winced a little. “I didn’t get a chance to research it more, but the concept itself caught my interest.”

Albus’ eyes widened at the implication. “Gellert, please tell me you didn’t write to...to _him_ to get this! After everything he did to you - after what he put you through, I’m not worth that!”

“You _are_ worth it,” insisted Gellert. “Albus, I would do anything to make things better for you. Yes, even reach out to him again. But, if it makes you feel any better, no, I didn’t do that. Instead, I contacted one of the librarians there to see if she remembered it. She’d worked in that library since before my father was born and told me once that she knew every single book and scroll in the place. I didn’t mention any names, but I told her I’d met someone who might be helped by it.”

“And she sent it to you?” Albus looked stunned. “Just...just like that?”

“Like I said, she had a bit of a weakness for my charming manner. Just as I am sure many others do.” Gellert grinned. “But no, she wouldn’t have sent me the original. No librarian with a spark of common sense would do such a thing. Instead, she made a copy of the scroll and sent that.”

“When did you ask her about it?” Albus asked, his eyes narrowing. “How long have you kept this a secret?”

“Only for a couple of days,” Gellert assured him. “I thought about telling you that I’d written to her, but I didn’t want to get your hopes up when she might not have been able to find it. And I don’t even know for sure that it will work for Ariana. It might end up being a dead end after all. But I had to try anyway.”

“I’m glad you did.” Albus rolled up the scroll and turned around to kiss him. “Even if it doesn’t work out, it’s more than I started out with, and that counts for something. In fact,” his face lit up with a coy smile and he slipped his hand under the bedcovers to caress the inside of Gellert’s leg, “perhaps I could show you just how much it counts for? Assuming you’re,” he paused, now massaging small circles across his pelvis, “ _up for it_?”

Gellert shivered and groaned in pleasure as Albus’ fingers drifted further upwards, the light touches sending flickers of golden sunlight through his body, setting every nerve alight. “Yes,” he breathed out, “show me, Albus. Show me exactly what it means...”

~*~

The spell he had cast on the tent’s ceiling was weakening, the stars beginning to fade away as his tiredness increased. And yet, sleep was not coming easily to him. The excitement and intimacy of the evening had claimed his attention for a long time, but now that the festivities and happiness had come to an end, thoughts that had been kept at bay for so long had begun to once again edge their way into the foreground. He gritted his teeth and breathed hard, trying to focus on the comforting presence of Albus sleeping in his arms, but the increasing darkness around him was almost all-consuming. He could not ignore it, and so, summoning every bit of his courage, he decided, instead, that he would face it.

His eyes landed on a single cluster of stars that somehow refused to fade away, instead growing brighter and brighter. But this was no nebulous cloud. Instead, as Gellert watched, they began to change into the form of an all-too familiar face. His heart skipped a beat as he heard the laugh that chilled him to the core, and watched as those piercing eyes seemed to appear out of nowhere, filling his vision with a disorienting green that threatened to overtake him and pull him back into his own darkness.

But things were different now. He was not the same Gellert Grindelwald who had left Durmstrang bitter, disgraced and torn apart. Now, he had a reason to keep going, to fight back. And fight back he would. He faced the image head on, knowing exactly what words he wanted to say, words he wished he had found the courage to say in the first place.

 _You might be a part of my life that I cannot take back,_ he told it. _But you will not define me. Not any more._

The spectre seemed to contort in anger, asking how he dare show such insolence after all that had been done for him! Did he not remember the hours invested in helping him manage his visions? The nights spent together pouring over books that he might never have otherwise had the chance to read, magic he would never have known about?

_Oh, I remember all of that. Make no mistake, I remember. But do you know what I also remember? How I came to you for help, how I trusted you with everything I had. I remember how you whispered honeyed poison in my ears, words that I still shudder to hear, even to this day. I remember how you looked straight into my eyes and made promises to me while you still watched my tears fall and did nothing. I remember the bruises you left on me when you said you only wished to protect me. And I remember how, when the time came, your vows became empty, your kisses turned out meaningless and cold._

He shivered and dragged his hand across his face, wiping away the tears that had fallen there. He was not going to give in. Not now. Not this time. _You tore me down and sent me spiralling into the depths of darkness. But when you shattered my heart, you had the decency to return the pieces to me, so at least I could give it to someone who deserved it._

As though he had heard Gellert’s thoughts, Albus stirred and sat up, blinking the tiredness out of his eyes. “What’re you still doing awake?”

He looked so relaxed and happy that Gellert was briefly tempted to tell a small lie. He did not want to shatter the peace they had both found, especially not today. But he had promised Albus he would never be anything other than honest with him, and if there was one thing he believed in, it was keeping the promises that he made, no matter what the cost.

“Gellert?” Now, a hint of worry was crossing Albus’ brow. “Are you all right?”

“Not completely,” he admitted, taking Albus’ hand and linking their fingers together. “But I will be.”

Albus looked as though he wanted to respond, but whatever words he might have uttered were cut off by a yawn and he settled back down, his eyes drifting closed again. Gellert smiled at the sight, dropping a kiss onto the tousled auburn head before he turned back to face the ghost head on for the last time.

“I will be all right,” he promised. “One way or another, I will be all right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, hope you enjoyed my fluffy offering. Even though it was Albus’ birthday, I wanted to give Gellert a chance to start to banish some of his demons and realise that he does deserve happiness. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading and comments and kudos make my day!

**Author's Note:**

> Gellert played Puccini’s three ‘Minuets’ for a string quartet, with each piece flowing into the next. It’s a beautiful symphony and one that I think he would genuinely enjoy. (Also, fun fact, he also wrote a piece for piano called ‘Adagio in A major’ in 1881, which I can imagine Kendra playing for Albus when he was little!)
> 
> I was not exaggerating about the Campanile di San Marco. That bell tower is stunning, but it’s been damaged or destroyed so many times I’m stunned it’s still standing. It collapsed completely in July 1902 - which Gellert actually Saw in a vision - but work on restoring it began almost immediately, though it took nearly ten years to build. Also, Venice is in constant danger of being flooded, with predictions that it will be completely submerged by the next century - possibly sooner. (I really hope they’re wrong, because it’s a stunningly magical city!)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it. Feedback and kudos make my day and stay tuned for the second chapter!


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